Bag dispenser



April 19, 1966 H. HOENISCH BAG DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1962 Q AZ M .finn/ l jaw 5 5 April 19, 1966 H. HOENISCH 3, ,79

BAG DISPENSER E I 2M;

April 19, 1966 d og sc 3,246,797

BAG DISPENSER Filed Aug. 5, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I: e Cz/Ze pzlspewser j 5 INVENTOR.

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BY W0? *9! TOR/V5761 United States Patent 3,246,797 BAG DISPENSER Harold Hoenisch, Albert Lea, Minn, assignor to King Seeley Thermos (10., Ann Arbor, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 214,667 12 Claims. (Cl. 221-13) This invention relates to ice cube vending apparatus and more particularly to bag means for use in packaging ice cubes obtained therefrom and to a bag dispenser for association therewith.

The principal object of the invention. is to provide bag means and dispensing means for association with an ice cube vending device.

Another object is to provide bag dispensing means which are particularly adapted for uSe with an ice cube vending machine.

An additional object is to provide bag means which are particularly adapted for use with automatic dispensing means.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide bag delivery control means for delivering a bag from a continuous roll of bag material during a vending cycle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide bag dispensing apparatus which is particularly adapted for use in dispensing plastic bag material.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide, in an ice cube vending machine, a combination of ice cube manufacturing apparatus for delivering a quantity of unpackaged ice cubes and to provide bag dispensing apparatus for dispensing a bag to package the unpackaged ice cubes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide, in combination, ice cube and ice cube bag dispensing devices which are both operable in response to a coin generated signal.

The aforementioned objects, and others, are attained by utilization of the inventive principles hereinafter disclosed with reference being had to an illustrative embodiment of the invention shown on the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic perspective view of an ice cube vending device incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partial side elevational view, with parts removed, of bag dispensing means associated with the device of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 in another operating position;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a bag means utilized by the apparatus in FIG. 2;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 in FIG. 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6--6 in FIG. 2; Y 1

FIGURE 7 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 77 in FIG. 6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in FIG. 4; and

FIGURE 10 is a circuit diagram for the apparatus.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an ice cube vending machine 10 is shown with an ice cube delivery chute 12 mounted in an opening 14 in the front panel 16 of the machine casing. Ice cube manufacturing apparatus and means for delivering a measured amount of unpackaged ice cubes are enclosed within the casing as disclosed in copending application Serial Number 214,666, for Ice Vending Machine, assigned to King-Seeley Thermos Company. As

3,246,797 Patented Apr. 19, 1966 disclosed in the copending application, the ice cube vending chute 12 is provided with bag receiving means enabling a bag to be associated therewith to receive unpackaged ice cubes delivered through the chute. In order so provide bag means to receive and hold the unpackaged ice cubes to be delivered from the chute 12, a bag dispensing escutcheon 18 is provided adjacent the ice cube dispensing opening 14. A conventional coin receiving plate 20 may be provided in a suitable place on the front of the machine and is associated with conventional coin collecting and return mechanism. As is conventional, the coin collecting mechanism includes means for energizing an electrical circuit when a coin or coi'ns have been properly deposited.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the bag dispensing apparatus comprises a slot in the escutcheon and an aligned slot 32 in the panel 16 through which bags are delivered in response to a coin generated signal; A bag feed unit 34 is located directly behind the slots 30, 32. A reel 36 for rotatably supporting a roll 38 of continuous bag material is rotatably supported below the drive unit 34 by suitable shaft means 40. The ends 41, 42, of the shaft means are rotatably received within inclined slots 43 formed in fix! edly mounted side plates 44, 45 on each side of the bag dispensing unit. Pivotally mounted latch means 46 having a slot 48 are provided to secure the reel in position. The latch means may be pivoted to the side plate as indicated at 50. An inclined back plate 52 extends between the side plates and supports a guide plate 54 on its lowe surface.

The leading end 56 of the continuous strip of bag material is wound upwardly over a curved guide surface 58 provided by a tension plate 60 which is pivotally connected to the side plates as indicated at 62. The tension plate 60 is spring loaded to continuously apply a retarding force in the direction of the arrow 64 against the upper surface of the roll of bag material 38. The leading end 56 is wound under a curved guide surface 66 provided on the lower end of guide plate 54 and upwardly along the flat bottom surface 68 thereof. The leading end of the bag material is wound over the lower end of a curved guide plate 70 which extends upwardly from a point spaced closely adjacent a curved upper surface 72 on the upper end of the guide plate 68. The upper end of guide plate 70 extends into the feed unit 34 to guide the bag material thereinto.

Referring to FIG. 8, the drive unit 34 comprises a pair of plastic drive rolls 80, 82 which are provided with friction driving means to drive the leading end of .the bag material through the feed slots 30, 32. of identical cylindrical construction having a plurality of spaced circumferentially extending grooves 84, 86. Rubber O-rings 88 are mounted in the grooves of at least one of the rolls and are adapted to provide frictional driving engagement between the leading end 56 and the other roll. The rolls are reversely mounted so that grooves in one roll are offset relative to the grooves in the other roll. One of the rolls is mounted on a drive shaft 88 and the other roll 82 is mounted on an idler shaft 90. As shown in FIG. 6, the drive shaft is connected through a suitable coupling 92 and speed reducing unit 94 to a drive motor 96.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 6 and 7, the drive unit further comprises a set of bag controlling and guiding r-olls 100, 102 which are rotatably mountedon spaced parallel shafts 104, 106. Belt means 108, 109 and pulley devices 110, 111, 112, 113 drivingly connect the shafts 88, and 104, 106. The control rolls 100, 102 are provided with radially outwardly extending blade means 116, 118 which are spaced closely adjacent the outer surfaces of the drive and idlerv rollers 80,. 82.. Roller pressureadjustment means may be provided The rolls may be to adjust the tension between the idler roll and the drive roll. The end 56 of the roll of bag material is delivered to the space between the drive roller 80 and the idler roller 82 by the guide plate 70. The rollers are turned in the direction of the arrows 132, 133 and pull the end of the bag material through the space therebetween by frictional engagement with the rubber rings 83 and the idler roll 82.

The bag material is formed from a plastic material such as polyethylene which tends to cling to the surfaces of the rollers as it is pulled therethrough. To eliminate the tendency of the plastic bag material to follow the rotating rollers, the guide rollers 100, 102 are provided and continually direct the plastic bag material away from the surfaces of the rollers 80, 82 into a substantially horizontal position by an intermittent beating action.

The end 56 of the roll of plastic bag material passes between the guide rollers 100, 102, and over the top of a shutter plate 136 mounted in the dispensing slot 30 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The shutter plate is pivotally mounted at 138 and movable from a lowered, passage opening, position of FIG. 2, to an upper passage closing and bag-locking position, shown in FIG. 3. In the upper position, the shutter plate 138 wedges the end of the bag material against the upper surface 142 of the dispensing slot 30 and prevents unauthorized removal of the bag material through the slot. It should be noted that the shutter plate is arranged so that any forces exerted on the bag material in the direction of the arrow 144, when the shutter is in the upper position, increases the binding forces on the material between the shutter and the upper wall 142 of the slot.

In order to actuate the shutter between the upper and lower positions, a control lever 146 is pivotally connected at 148 to the shutter device and is connected at its other end to a solenoid device 150. The solenoid 150 is operable upon energization to move the shutter to the lowered position. When the solenoid is deenergized, a spring 152 which is connected to the frame at 154 and to the solenoid at 156 pulls the shutter to the upper or locked position.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, a series of bag dispensing controlling micro switches 160, 162, 164 are mounted on the dispensing frame beneath the guide plate 54. The actuating fingers 166, 168, 170 of the micro switches extend upwardly toward the base plate. A plurality of finger receiving holes 172, 174, 176 are provided in the guide plate 54 and are adapted to permit full outward spring movement of the actuating fingers to a circuit closing position. The micro switches are centrally located relative to the guide plate 54 so that the bag material will pass between the actuating fingers and the base plate in normal operation. In this manner, the bag material provides a wall preventing full outward movement of the actuating fingers into the holes 166, 168, 170.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 9, the bag material is in the form of a continuous strip of polyethylene tubing 200 which is folded into a flat sheet of material by the provision of inwardly extending folds 202, 204. Sealed joints 206, 208 are provided at regularly spaced intervals along the length of the polyethylene tubing and extend transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof. The sealed joints may be formed by a heat sealing operation or the like. Immediately in front of each of the sealed joints, relative to the direction of bag movement during dispensing, a series of transverse perforations 210, 212 are provided. The perforations provide tear lines for subsequent separation of the continuous roll of bag material into individual bag members. Indexing means in the form of control holes 214, 216 are provided in opposite sides of each of the individual bags along the length of the polyethylene tubing in predetermined locations. In the preferred form, the holes 214, 216 are located adjacent the perforations 210 and 212. The holes are adapted to receive the actuating finger 168 of the centrally mounted micro switch 162 during portions of the dispensing operation. The length of bag material is mounted in a particular manner on the reel 38 so that the heat sealed portions 206, 200 of the strip of polyethylene tubing provide the leading edges during dispensing. In other words, as the bag material is dispensed, the bottom of the individual bag formed by the sealed portions is received first and the open end of the bag which is formed by tearing along the perforations is received last.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the circuitry for operating the aforedescribed bag dispensing apparatus includes an energy source 200 which is directly connected by a line 202 through a manually operable switch 164 and a line 204 to the roller drive motor 96. The solenoid may be connected in the line 204 as indicated. The source 200 is adapted to be connected to leads 206, 208 by the presence of a coin 210 in the conventional coin receiving apparatus which also energizes ice cube dispensing circuits 207, 209 as described in the aforementioned copending application. When a coin 210 is properly located in the coin receiving mechanism, the leads 206, 208 are energized to provide a coin generated signal for operation of the ice bag dispensing apparatus and ice cube dispensing apparatus 211.

A safety switch means 212 operable by the micro switches 160, 161 is provided in the line 206 to prevent energization of the bag dispensing apparatus unless bag material is properly located in the dispensing apparatus between the limit switch actuating fingers 166, 170 and the holes 172, 176 in the backup plate. If no bag material covers either of the holes 172, 176 the switch 212 connects line 206 to a line 213 which energizes a no bag light 214 and a coin return mechanism 215. In normal operation with bag material present and properly located in the bag dispensing apparatus, the switch 212 connects a line 216 and a coil 218 of a resettable mechanically operable latching relay 219 to the line 206. Energization of the relay coil 218 actuates a switch 220 to complete a circuit between the line 208 and a line 222 which causes energization of the solenoid 150 and the motor 96. Energization of the solenoid 150 causes movement of the control lever 146 and shutter plate 136 downwardly against the bias of the spring 152 to the lowered position shown in FIG. 2. In this position, the bag material is free to be dispensed through the slot 32.

Energization of the motor 96 drives the drive roll 80 in a clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 2 and causes counterclockwise movement of the idler roll 82. The movement of the rolls 80, 82 drives the bag material outwardly through the bag slot 32 as the reel of bag material 38 isunwound. The tendency of the polyethylene tubing to adhere to the surfaces of the rollers 80, 82 is eliminated by the provision of the guide and control rollers 100, 102 which are driven by and rotate in the same direction as the rolls 80, 82. The blade means 116, 118 intermittently engage the bag material and exert inwardly directed forces against the upper and lower surfaces thereof. The bags are thus beaten to a central position between the roller elements and the guide elements.

At the initiation of a dispensing cycle, the switch 162 is immediately actuated to the position shown in FIG. 10 by movement of the polyethylene tubing between the actuating finger 168 of the micro switch 162 and the hole 174 in the backup plate. At that time a switch 230 connects a line 232 to a line 234 which energizes a relay 236. The actuation of the relay 236 moves a switch 238 to a circuit closing position between a line 240 and a line 242 which form a holding circuit for the relay 236. The relay 236 also actuates switches 244, 246 of a conventional timer 250. The timing mechanism is initially energized through line 208, a line 252, switch 246 and a line 254. When the relay 236 is actuated, the timer is thereafter energized through the line 240, a line 256, the switch 244, and the line 254. Energization of the relay 236 also actuates the switch 239 to complete a circuit between the line 256 and a line 258 Which'are connectable through the switch 231 to a line 260 to provide an enabling circuit for a coil 262 of relay 219. The coil 262 is also connected through a line 264, a timer switch 266, and a line 268 to the line 252. The switch 266 is normally open and is closable by the timer 250 after the timer has timed out. The timer is set to time out after the normal time required for de livery of a bag. Thus, if the apparatus is not functioning properly, the timer will close the switch 266 after a predetermined time interval. The circuitry is integrated with the circuitry for energizing the ice cube dispensing apparatus so that the coin 210 will be transferred to a collection chute upon completion of a normal bag and ice cube dispensing cycle or to a coin return chute if the normal bag or ice cube dispensing cycle is interrupted by a malfunction.

In normal operation with the bag material being dispensed through the slot 32 by the drive mechanism 34 during energization of the motor 96, one set of holes 214, 216 in the bag material moves under the micro switch 162 to permit the actuating finger 168 to move into the hole 174 in the backup plate. When this happens, the micro switch 162 causes actuation of the switch 231 to complete a circuit between the line 258 and the line 260 to energize the relay coil 262. Energization of the relay coil 262 acuates the switch 220 to open the circuit between the lines 208 and 222 and deenergizes the motor 96 to stop further bag dispensing. Since the holes 214, 216 are spaced at predetermined intervals on each bag, a subsequent set of holes will become aligned with the micro switch 162 when a length of bag material equal to the length of one bag has been dispensed through the slot 32. If the bag material becomes misaligned in the dispensing apparatus or some other malfunction occurs to prevent the arrival of a set of holes in line with the micro switch 162, the timer 250 will shortly thereafter time out and close the switch 266 to energize the relay 262 through the lines 252, 268, 264 and deenergizes motor 96.

When a length of the bag material has been dispensed through the slot 32, an exposed sealed end 208 of the leading edge of the bag will be located below the slot. The perforation line at the other end of the bag will be located just beyond the shutter which is returned to the closed position upon deenergization of the line 222 and the solenoid 150. The machine operator may thereupon tear the dispensed bag loose from the succeeding bag along the next perforation line. In this manner, a plastic bag which may be expanded to accommodate a relatively large volume of ice cubes is dispensed. The control holes in the bag are located at the top edge of the bag and therefore interfere in no way with the storage or transportation of ice cubes in the bag. The control holes are small enough so that the ice cubes cannot escape therefrom and their location prevents water accumulating in the bottom of the bag from leaking out. The machine operator tears off the dispensed bag, places it over the bag receiving lip on the vending chute, and actuates the vending chute to deliver a predetermined quantity of ice cubes into the bag.

It may thus be seen that the present invention provides a novel combination of a bag dispensing unit and ice cube dispensing means which permit unpackaged ice cubes to be conveniently dispensed by simultaneously providing bag means for receiving the unpackaged ice cubes during a vending cycle. The bags are delivered closely adjacent the ice cub dispensing chute at a convenient location and in a predetermined position requiring relatively little instruction and in a substantially foolproof manner. Furthermore, the bags are delivered and stored in a manner which promotes cleanliness and sanitation since each of the bags remains sealed until it is dispensed. The bags are always dispensed with the closed end first so that no end opening is left in the succeeding bags during the time they are stored in the delivery mechanism prior to the next dispensing cycle. The bag dispensing apparatus of the present plicability in other environments and may be utilized with various modifications of the illustrative apparatus. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims include the inventive principles herein disclosed whereaver utilized.

The invention claimed is:

1. In an ice cube vending machine having ice cube storage means for storing unpackaged ice cubes, ice cube dispensing means for dispensing a predetamined quantity of ice cubes in response to a coin generated signal, and

an ice cube dispensing chute, a bag dispensing slot located adjacent said ice cube dispensing chute, bag storage means provided in said machine for storing a continuous roll of bag material, drive means for unwinding the continuous roll of bagimaterial and delivering the leading end thereof to and through said bag dispensing slot, guide means to guide the leading end of the continuous roll of bag material to said drive means and through said slot, dispensing control means integrally formed on the continuous roll of bag material, separating means to separate said continuous roll of bag material into separate bag members, and actuating means for said drive means and said separating means operable in response to the coin generated signal and signals generated by said control means to dispense lengths of the continuous roll of bag material providing only enough material for a single bag and severing only one bag at a time from the continuous roll of bag material.

2. In a bag dispensing unit for dispensing one bag at a time from a supply of continuous bag material, a dispensing slot provided in said unit, drive means to deliver the leading end of the continuous supply of bag material to and through said slot, motor means to actuate said drive means in response to a signal, bag measuring means to control the length of bag material dispensed from the continuous supply of bag material and to deactivate said motor means after a predetermined length of bag material sufficient to provide one bag has been dispensed, and timing means energizable by a signal when said motor means is actuated, and motor deactivating means operable by said timing means after a predetermined time interval slightly longer than the normal time interval required to dispense the predetermined length of the continuous supply of bag material to deactivate said motor means if said bag measuring means fails to properly control the length of bag material dispensed.

3. In a bag dispensing device for association with a vending machine or the like from which unpackaged articles are dispensed in predetermined quantities in re sponse to a coin generated signal, a dispensing slot formed in the vending machine, a reel for storing a supply of continuous bag material, continuous tubular plastic bag material being wound on said reel and having a leading edge for unwinding, the continuous tubular plastic bag material having a folded flat form defined by flattened and abutting opposite side surfaces, sealing means extending transversely of the length of the continuous tubular plastic bag material to divide it into individual bag portions of equal length and adapted to provide a bottom for each bag portion, perforation means extending transversely of the length of the continuous tubular plastic bag material and being longitudinally spaced from and located closely adjacent said sealing means to enable individual bag portions to be separated from the continuous tubular plastic bag material by a tearing operation, unwinding means to unwind the continuous tubular plastic bag material, guide means to guide movement of the leading edge of the continuous tubular plastic bag material as it is unwound from said reel to said unwinding means,

lade means associated with said unwinding means on the other side of said reel to separate the continuous tubular plastic bag material from said unwinding means and to deliver the leading edge thereof to and through said slot, shutter means associated with said slot and being movable between open and closed positions to permit or prevent passage of the continuous tubular plastic bag material through said slot, means to lockingly engage said shutter means with portions of the continuous tubular plastic bag material adjacent said perforation means in said closed position to enable an individual bag portion to be separated from the continuous tubular plastic bag material by a tearing operation along said perforation means, and control means for actuating said unwinding means in response to the coin generated signal for a time interval sufiicient to dispense a length of the continuous tubular plastic bag material through said slot equal to the length of an individual bag portion and with the perforation means thereof in alignment with said shutter means to enable an individual bag portion to be removed from the continuous tubular plastic bag material by a tearing operation.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 and wherein said unwinding means comprises a drive roll and an idle roll, and friction drive means provided between said drive roll and said idle roll to frictionally drive the leading edge of the continuous tu bular plastic bag material through the rolls to said slot.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 and wherein said friction drive means comprises a plurality of circumferentially extending slots on the periphery of at least one of the rolls, said slots being longitudinally spaced along the roll, and rubber O-Ring type members mounted in said slots for peripheral driving engagement with the continuous tubular plastic bag material.

6. The invention as defined in claim 3 and wherein said guide means comprises a guide plate extending between said reel and said unwinding means, and additional guide members providing offset curved guide surfaces facing said guide plate and engaging the leading edge portion of the continuous tubular plastic bag material to maintain the leading edge portion in sliding engagement with said guide plate, and control means conditioning means associated with said guide plate and the continuous tubular plastic bag material passing thereover during a dispensing cycle to insure proper delivery of the leading edge portion of the continuous tubular plastic bag material through said slot.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 and wherein said control means comprises a series of switches mounted adjacent said guide plate, switch actuating fingers for each of said switches extending toward said guide plate and being adapted to extend therebeyond in one position, a plurality of switch actuating finger passage means provided in said guide to receive said switch actuating fingers and permit full extension thereof to said one position, said leading end portion of the continuous tubular plastic bag material extending between said switch actuating finger passage means and said switch actuating fingers to normally prevent movement of said switch actuating fingers to said one position, and transverse control apertures extending through the continuous tubular plastic bag material in a predetermined pattern and at predetermined intervals along the length thereof to permit the switch actuating fingers to pass therethrough to said one position.

8. In an automatic vending machine or the like adapted to dispense bags one bag at a time from a roll of continuous bag material, means for moving the bag material toward a dispensing position in response to a coin generated signal, means responsive to the move [ment of the bag material for stopping movement of the bag material after movement of the bag material suffi cient to dispense one bag, and means independent of the movement of the bag material for stopping movement of the bag material in response to expiration of a normal time required for delivery of a single bag of the bag material.

9. In a bag dispensing device for association with a vending machine or the like from which unpa'ckaged articles are dispensed in predetermined quantities in response to a coin generated signal, means for delivering continuous bag material to a dispensing position in the machine comprising reel means for storing a supply of the continuous bag material, unwinding means for moving the continuous bag material from the reel means to the dispensing position, guide plate means extending between the reel means and the unwinding means and providing offset curved guide surfaces engaging the leading edge portion of the continuous bag material and maintaining the leading edge portion in sliding engagement with the guide plate means, control means for actuating said unwinding means in response to a coin generated signal for a time interval sufficient to dispense a length of the continuous bag material suificient to form an individual bag portion, and control means conditioning means associated with the guide plate means and the continuous bag material passing thereover during a dispensing cycle to insure proper delivery of the leading edge portion of the continous bag material to the dispensing position.

10. In a bag dispensing device for association with a vending machine or the like from which unpackaged articles are dispensed in predetermined quantities in response to a coin generated signal, reel means for storing a supply of continuous bag material, unwinding means for delivering the leading edge of the continuous bag material to a dispensing position, plate means for guiding the bag material during movement to the dispensing position, a series of dispensing cycle control switches mounted adjacent the plate means, switch actuating fingers for each of said switches extending toward the plate means and being adapted to extend there-beyond in one position, a plurality of switch actuating finger passage means provided in said plate means to receive said switch actuating fingers and permit full extension thereof to the one position, the leading end portion of the continuous bag material extending between the switch actuating finger passage means and the switch actuating fingers to normally prevent movement of the switch actuating fingers to the one position, and transverse control apertures extending through the continuous baig material in a predetermined pattern and at predetermined intervals along the length thereof to permit the switch actuating fingers to pass therethrough to the one position.

11. In a bag dispensing unit for dispensing one bag at a time from a supply of continuous bag material, drive means to deliver the leading end of the continuous bag material to a dispensing position, motor means to actuate said drive means in response to a signal, b ag measuring means to control the length of bag material dispensed from the supply of continuous bag material and to deactivate said motor means after a predetermined length of bag material sufficient to provide one bag has been dispensed, timing means energizalble by a signal when said motor means is actuated, and motor deactivating means operable by said timing means after a predetermined time interval longer than the normal time interval required to dispense the predetermined length of the supply of continuous bag material to deactivate said motor means when said bag measuring means fails to properly control the length of bag material dispensed.

12. In a bag dispensing device for association with a vending machine or the like from which unpackaged articles are dispensed in predetermined quantities in response to a coin generated signal, reel means for storing a supply of continuous bag material divided into individual ba-g portions of equal length and having perforation means extending transversely of the length of the continuous b ag material to enable individual bag portions to be separated from the continuous bag material by a tearing operation, unwinding means to unwind the continuous bag material, guide means to guide movement of the leading edge of the continuous bag material as it is unwound from the reel means to a dispensing position, separation mean-s associated with the unwinding means to separate the continuous bag material from the unwinding means and to deliver the leading edge thereof to the dispensing position, and shutter means provided at the dispensing position and being movable between released and locked positions to permit or prevent dispensing movement of the continuous bag material from the dispensing position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 1,494,756 5/ 1924 Nitehe. 1,586,950 6/1926 Hartman 194-1O 2,432,597 12/1947 Toulmin 62105 2,759,648 8/1956 Piazze 206-59 2,762,623 9/ 1956 Uthenwoldt et a1. 27l3 6 2,814,317 11/ 195 7 Gale 2222 X 2,854,116 9/1958 Gray l94-10 2,932,429 4/1960 Ma-nnhardt 2222 2,986,897 6/1961 Howard 194-13 X 3,057,527 10/1962 Harmon 225-106 X 3,132,782 5/1964 Coates 22523 3,151,668 10/1964 Zimmermann 16530 FOREIGN PATENTS 523,176 7/1940 Great Britain. 831,449 3/1960 Great Britain.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

20 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, RAPHAEL M. LUPO, SAM- UEL F. COLEMAN, Examiners. 

1. IN AN ICE CUBE VENDING MACHINE HAVING ICE CUBE STORAGE MEANS FOR STORING UNPACKAGED ICE CUBES, ICE CUBE DISPENSING MEANS FOR DISPENSING A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF ICE CUBES IN RESPONSE TO A COIN GENERATED SIGNAL, AND AN ICE CUBE DISPENSING CHUTE, A BAG DISPENSING SLOT LOCATED ADJACENT SAID ICE CUBE DISPENSING CHUTE, BAG STORAGE MEANS PROVIDED IN SAID MACHINE FOR STORING A CONTINUOUS ROLL OF BAG MATERIAL, DRIVE MEANS FOR UNWINDING THE CONTINUOUS ROLL OF BAG MATERIAL AND DELIVERING THE LEADING END THEREOF TO AND THROUGH SAID BAG DISPENSING SLOT, GUIDE MEANS TO GUIDE THE LEADING END OF THE CONTINUOUS ROLL OF BAG MATERIAL TO DRIVE MEANS AND THROUGH SAID SLOT, DISPENSING CONTROL MEANS INTEGRALLY FORMED ON THE CONTINUOUS ROLL OF BAG MATERIAL, SEPARATING MEANS TO SEPARATE SAID CONTINUOUS ROLL OF BAG MATERIAL INTO SEPARATE BAG MEMBERS, AND ACTUATING MEANS FOR SAID DRIVE MEANS AND SAID SEPARATING MEANS OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO THE COIN GENERATED SIGNAL AND SIGNALS GENERATED BY SAID CONTROL MEANS TO DISPENSE LENGTHS OF THE CONTINUOUS ROLL OF BAG MATERIAL PROVIDING ONLY ENOUGH MATERIAL FOR A SINGLE BAG AND SEVERING ONLY ONE BAG AT A TIME FROM THE CONTINUOUS ROLL OF BAG MATERIAL. 